As oswaldo sees it, robert s friendship with his high school friends is an unhealthy one, largely based on his giving his friends. Chicago turabian humanities citation style guide jeff hobbs, the short and tragic life of robert peace. The short tragic life of robert peace is a book that is as much about class as it is race. A brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league by jeff hobbs, and attached fuqua as the director.
Historical context of the short and tragic life of robert peace. A heartfelt, and riveting biography of the short life of a talented young africanamerican man who escapes the slums of newark for yale university only to succumb to the dangers of the streetsand of ones own naturewhen he returns home. A brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league by jeff hobbs a heartfelt and riveting biography of the short life of a talented young africanamerican man who escapes the slums of newark for yale university only to succumb to the dangers of the streets and of ones own nature when. Mourners have left mix cds on rob peaces grave site. These historical fiction novels are great for book club discussions. The short and tragic life of robert peace book by jeff hobbs. A brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league. The short and tragic life of robert peace articles and posts. I think the one thing peaces life goes to demonstrate is exactly how difficult it is to break the cycle of poverty. Peace should have lived a life neither short nor tragic because he had so much promise and won the opportunity to make good on it. The short and tragic life of robert peace by jeff hobbs an instant new york times bestseller, named a best book of the year by the new york times book. W hy is the air not on jackie peace asked from the back of the car.
Peaces death and life is the subject of a new book, the result of over 300 hours of interviews with the people who knew him best. Using your favorite musicstreaming service, compile a mix in tribute to peace, including some of the songs mentioned in the book. From an outsiders perspective, jeff hobbs meticulously crafts a haunting yet honest account of his college roommates life story while also managing to explain the grave societal causes for his demise. Choose from different sets of short tragic life hobbs flashcards on quizlet. The most famous exploration of this theme is probably f. A heartfelt and riveting biography of the short life of a talented young african american. The short and tragic life of robert peace hit upon almost all the intellectual struggles i have with education as a scholar of color. Readers questions about the short and tragic life of robert peace.
Im global has optioned the book the short and tragic life of robert peace. The death of a young black don of a single mother and an imprisoned father is a subject to which many americans bring charged preconceptions. The short and tragic life of robert peace chicago reader. In 1980, a young newark woman named jackie peace gives birth to a baby boy named robert peace. Oswaldo takes a darker view of robert s relationship with his friends than hobbs has presented earlier in the book. Its about the collision of two fiercely insular worldsthe ivycovered campus of yale university and the slums of newark, new jersey, and the difficulty of. The short and tragic life of robert peace is a grave, important book. The short and tragic life of robert peace movie is currently in announced. Monroe auditorium suggests that the short and tragic life of robert peace figures prominently on campus as this years common reading selection at lenoirrhyne. The short and tragic life of robert peace deserves a turn in the nations pulpit from which it can beg us to see the third world america in our midst. The large banner that hangs beside the entrance to p. The short and tragic life of robert peace flashcards quizlet. The book begins with peace being born and proceeds moreorless.
The short tragic life of robert peace is a book that is as much about class as. In fact, my brother recommended the book, as he knew i was on the prowl for a good read. The short and tragic life of robert peace by jeffrey hobbs. Peaces mother endured great sacrifices to ensure that her gifted son would meet his full potential. The short and tragic life of robert peace, a work of nonfiction by jeff hobbs, chronicles the upbringing and early adulthood of a young black man who grew up poor in a city, and eventually attends yale university. On the short and tragic life of robert peace remember. Jackie has just left the hospital, and she and her baby, along with her mother. I certainly did not anticipate reading a book so poignant and relevant in jeff hobbs 2014 biography, the short and tragic life of rob peace, over the short period of time that i was back home. Remembering the short and tragic life of robert peace npr.
In the short and tragic life of robert peace, a haunting work of nonfiction with a title that is all too selfexplanatory, mr. On a warm june night in 1980, a woman named jackie peace carries a new baby boy named robert deshaun peace. The short and tragic life of robert peace nashville. Learn short tragic life hobbs with free interactive flashcards. The short and tragic life of robert peace, a biography of. The short and tragic life of robert peace seeks answers in the true story of two men, reared in the same mostly black, mostly luckless neighborhood, whose trajectories spectacularly diverge. Jeff hobbs, author of the short and tragic life of robert peace robert peace, a 30yearold africanamerican, was a yale university graduate and an almost straighta student in. The short and tragic life of robert peace wikipedia. Im global and fuqua films have optioned jeff hobbss book of the same name which is based on a true story. An independent and determined woman who grew up in orange county throughout all of her life. The short and tragic life of robert peace, by jeff hobbs. Not every young black male who goes to an ivy league school makes choices that rob makes.
The author, jeff hobbs, was peaces roommate for four years at yale. The short and tragic life of robert peace is an important book, a timely one, and the type to encourage discussions about race and class that we cant afford not to have. A compelling and honest portrait of roberts relationshipswith his struggling mother, with his incarcerated father, with his teachers and friendsthe short and tragic life of robert peace encompasses the most enduring conflicts in america. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the short and tragic life of robert peace, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The short and tragic life of robert peace rakuten kobo. The short and tragic life of robert peace book by jeff. The book discusses the city of newark, new jersey from the 1970s to the 2000s. Rare is the joy of encountering a superb new book and with it a memorable reallife literary character. When author jeff hobbs arrived at yale university, he became fast friends with the man who would be his college roommate for four years, robert peace. The short and tragic life of robert peace study guide literature. What makes this book so devastating is that these two men, rob and shawn, are. I need to reread this section of the book, but it did seem to be a major setback for him.
A brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league by jeff hobbs. The short and tragic life of robert peace chapter 14. The short and tragic life of robert peace quotes jeff hobbs this study guide consists of approximately 53 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the short and tragic life of robert peace. Lynn this entire book is about choices bad choices. Npr coverage of the short and tragic life of robert peace. But unlike the books that many other colleges and universities choose for their incoming freshman class, jeff hobbs biography of his yale roommate wasnt the subject of. Southern hospitality by ludacris, ride wit me by nelly, put it on me by ja rule, it wasnt me by shaggy, forget you by cee lo green, and ruff ryders anthem by dmx. But robert was a brilliant student, and it was supposed to get easier when he was accepted to yale. The short and tragic life of robert peace reveals the devastating consequences of this assumption. Robert carried with him the difficult dual nature of his existence, fronting in yale, and at home.
Related posted in on books tagged ivy league, jeff hobbs, newark, nonfiction, on books, robert peace, the short and tragic life of robert peace, yale. The short and tragic life of robert peace seeks answers in the true story of. To read the short and tragic life of robert peace, a meticulous and heartfelt account of a brilliant black student from the povertystricken streets of newark, is to see the best of the american dream lived and ultimately, tragically, lost. Get the entire the short and tragic life of robert peace litchart as a printable pdf. The short and tragic life of robert peace by jeff hobbs. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide hobbs, jeff, 1980. Hobbs attended peaces funeral, reached out to his friends from both yale and newark, and ultimately decided to write this harrowing and beautiful. When author jeff hobbs arrived at yale university, he became fast friends with the man who would be his college roommate for four years. Hobbs bestselling book the short and tragic life of robert peace is an ambitious, moving tale of an innercity newark kid who made it to yale yet succumbed to old demons and economic realities.
Its about the collision of two fiercely insular worldsthe ivycovered campus of yale university and newark, new jersey, and the difficulty. Discussion questions for the first meeting were the following. He wrote robert a check for tuition, books, and other college expenses, but didnt consider that robert would need money for day to day expenses that made him feel normal andor like he. This study guide is based on the large print edition of the short and tragic life of robert peace. The short and tragic life of robert peace, young novelist jeff hobbss first foray into creative nonfiction, combines two major preoccupations of the american mind. The short and tragic life of robert peace study guide. Through an honest rendering of roberts relationshipswith his struggling mother, with his incarcerated father, with his teachers and friends and fellow drug dealersthe short and tragic life of robert peace encompasses the most enduring conflicts in america.
The short and tragic life of robert peace could not have been more aptly named. The short and tragic life of robert peace a brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league jeff hobbs scribner new york london toronto sydney new delhi. Jeff hobbs tells the story of robert deshaun peace, who went from a new jersey. Hobbs movingly captures jackie peaces unwavering devotion to. Hobbs knows this and he overcomes themhe deepens the crucial national conversation. This strange dichotomyan apparent escape from a likely destiny, and an ultimate fate that proved somehow inevitablelies at the heart of the short and tragic life of robert peace, a biography of an extraordinary life and alltooordinary death. The father is a young, intelligent drug dealer named robert skeet douglas. The short and tragic life of robert peace jane lucas.
Antoine fuqua to direct the short and tragic life of. Read the short and tragic life of robert peace a brilliant young man who left newark for the ivy league by jeff hobbs available from rakuten kobo. Roberts life was rough from the beginning in the crimeridden streets of newark in the 1980s. Peace traveled across americas widening social divide, and hobbs book is an honest, insightful and empathetic account of his sometimes painful, always strange journey. The short and tragic life of robert peace is one of many books about the quintessential american theme of selfreinvention. Norman podhoretzs memoir making it 1967, another story about a brilliant kid from a crimeridden city who reinvents himself as an ivy league prodigy, at times. Short and tragic life of robert peace hobbs litlovers. Short tragic life hobbs flashcards and study sets quizlet. There are few road maps for students who carry our muchvalued diversity, and few tools for those who remain ignorant of the diverse riches in their midst. Jeff hobbs has made an important contribution to the literature for all of us. Rob trusted a family friend too much and paid a terrible price. A heartfelt, and riveting biography of the short life of a talented young africanamerican man who escapes the slums of newark for yale university only to succumb to the dangers of the streets. Skeet douglas jackie peace robert deshaun peace victor raymond,curtis gamble, tavarus hester, julius flowy, drew jemison jeff hobbs ty cantey oswaldo gutierrez robert deshaunpeace was born in east orange, new jersey to jackie peace and skeet douglas in june of 1980 he lived.